Bustle



NITED STATES FATJENT erica.

AMOS W. THOMAS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENFTSYLVANIA.

BUSTLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 377,652, dated February 7,1888.

Application filed July 16, 1887. Serial No. 2114.513. (Model.)v I

4,340, granted to me the 8th day of June, 7

The object of my present invention is to obtain greater rmness, a truer action of the folding parts, a saving in the number of parts of which the bustle is composed, and a corresponding reduction inthe cost of manufacture.

The bustle to which my improvements apply, and of which the said patent is the first example, comprises a folding base-bow united to upright or substantially upright stays, said stays and uprights having at their junction spiral-spring curves formed by properly coiling the wire,so as to allow the base-bow to bel folded up toward the person of the wearer when pressure is applied and cause it to be opened or sprung outwardly when pressure is released.

My improvement has reference, mainly, to the provision of a novel expedient for pivotally connecting the upper bows of the bustle to the 'staysgand in this particular my invention consists in forming each stay above the spiral curve with a laterally-diverted shoulder bend or offset, and utilizing the same as a means for the support and pivotal connection of the upper bows.

My invention furthermore consists in certain details of construction and arrangement, hereinafter particularly described.

In the drawings, Figure l is a front view of a bustle embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a side view, and Fig. 3 a plan view, of the base. Fig. 4 is a detail, and Fig. 5 is aperspective view of a modification.

The main frame of the bustle comprises the base-bow 'A and the stays B,to rest against the person of the wearer. These are preferably formed from round naked wire and forma single piece of wire bent in the proper shape. At thejunction of the stays and base-hows are situated the spiral curves C, formed by ceiling the wire as often as may be desired around a mandrel or former. These curves or spirals constitute springs to open or expand the bustle after being folded. The basebow proceeds,

preferably, from the termination of the outerV coils,while the stays extend as continuations of the inner coils. A short distance above each spiral the stay-wires are bent laterallyas` arranged upon the shoulders D D, one within. the other, in the order of their respective proportions, so that when folded they will lie in corresponding relation within the largest bow.

E E are supplementary bows which are attached to the sides of the uppermost bow," d3, by riveteyelets e e and arranged to fold over and above the bow d3. All the bows are connected together and to the base-bow and waistband by thetapes g g, secured to the flat lbows and waistband by eyelets and converging from their point of attachment to the waistband or stays to their point of attachment to the basebow at its middle part, where the two tapes are united by a clasp, h, embracing the basebow.

As the tapes at their point of attachment to the base-bow are liable to be displaced and thereby cause or maintain a disarrangement and distortion of the bows, I provide means for securing the tapes to said base bow, -so as to prevent any lateral movement, and for the purpose connect to the tapes a cord or tape, H, which I tie to the spirals and tie the ends together between the latter, as shown. The cords or tapes H proceed obliquely from the middle of the base-bow to its ends and offer resistance to any lateral movement of the bowsupporting tapes. As an additional security, or as a substitute for the diagonal tapes, I pro pose to form a bend,indentati on, or depression The bows d' IOO in the base-bow at the point of attachment of the tapes and clasp. I also suggest the use of rosin or the roughening of the surface of the bow, which, by reason of its roundness and the smoothness of its surface, does notin itself resist the lateral movement of the tapes, as would a fiat covered wire.

I have described the bow-supporting tapes as being attached to the waistband; but they may, if desired, be connected to the stays, or to both, and for the purpose of being attached to the stays the latter may have eyelets or rings bent thereon, as shown at k, Fig. 4.

When it is desired to have the bustle of greater simplicity and cheapness, the main bow d3 and supplementary bows E E may be dispensed with and the bustle made to comprise and consist of merely the wire constituting the base-bow stays, spiral, and shoulders, the one or more dat wire bows above the bases bow, the waistband, and the supporting-tapes. A bustle so constituted is strong and serviceable and will admirably serve every ordinary requirement.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. In a folding bustle comprising a series of transverse bows, a waistband, and tapes secured to and supporting the bows, the combination with said bows, of a basebow having springs at or near its terminals, and stays which rest againstthe person of the wearer and which have lateral bends forming shoulders or offsets for the reception and pivotal action of said transverse bows, substantially as set forth.

2. In a folding bustle, the combination,with the base-bow, the springs formed at or near the ends thereof, and the stays having lateral bends, shoulders, or offsets, of the main flat wire bows d d d2 d3, pivoted upon said shoulders or offsets, the supplementary bows E E', pivoted to the sides of the bow da, the supporting-tapes,and the waistband,substantial1y as described.

3. In a folding bustle, the combination,with the base-bow, the springs formed at or near the ends thereof, and the stays having lateral bends or offsets, of the main and supplementary bows, the supporting-tapes, and the waistband, said main bows being pivoted upon the bends or offsets of the stays, and the supplementary bows pivoted to the side of the topmost main bow, said main bows being constructed and adapt-ed to fold one within the other, while the supplementary bows are constructed and adapted to fold over or above the bow to which they are attached and one within the other, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 13th day of July, 1887.

AMOS W. THOMAS.

Witnesses:

Trios. A. CoNNoLLY, R. DALE SPARHAWK. 

